2495

UNFINISHED

REJECTED

Pallas Blair Drummond  1935

Seated three-quarter length to the right on an upholstered chair, wearing a green frock with a sash, a cockatoo perched on her clasped hands

Oil on canvas, 89 x 68.5 cm (35 x 27 in.)

Sitters’ Book II, f. 85:  Pallas Blair 13-12-35

Studio Inventory, p. 4 (24): Pallas, daughter of Patricia, Countess of Cottenham. See note above (The note reads: In No. 23 [sic], the child is holding a bird. A further study, No.24, was done about the same time.  The little sitter is the adopted daughter of Lady Cottenham.)

Private Collection

The present painting was the first of two rejected versions for the portrait of Pallas Blair Drummond, the adopted daughter of Patricia, Lady Cottenham. In a letter dated 28 October, she introduced her daughter to de László in the following manner: “My daughter rejoices in the name of Pallas, to me, a lovely name, and I cannot guarantee Wisdom for my child but I did the next best thing and gave her as godmother The [sic] goddess of Wisdom.”^[1] Unfortunately, her name did not seem to influence her character, and de László’s sitter proved to be very boisterous, which made this commission particularly difficult for the artist to carry out [2490].

A letter from de László’s secretary dated 1 November 1935 indicates that what the artist had in mind for Pallas’s portrait was the composition he adopted for the portrait of Princess Elizabeth [10531], adding: “alternatively, she might be painted wearing a simple dress, sitting in a chair holding a doll, but Mr. de László would much prefer a picture with a feeling of the open air, with the sky and a background.”^[2] The final painting eventually combined the open air setting with his sitter holding a doll, but it seems that in the present rejected version, Lady Cottenham imposed her views as to the composition she wanted. De László made a preliminary sketch of Pallas on 2 December 1935^[3] and further sittings took place not long after.^[4]  Although de László originally wanted to finish this commission in time for Christmas, following the rejection of the present painting, he did not start a second version before May 1936 [3694]. The reason why the present portrait was rejected remains unknown. However, a letter Pallas sent to de László when the final portrait was completed – an apology for not sitting still – suggests that her behaviour jeopardised the artist’s chances of success in catching a likeness which would satisfy her mother.

For biographical notes on the sitter, see [2490].

PROVENANCE:  

In the possession of the artist on his death

LITERATURE:          

•“De László’s Relationships with His Patrons and Sitters”, by Suzanne Bailey, in A Brush With Grandeur, ed. by Sandra de Laszlo, Paul Holberton publishing, London, 2004, p. 55

•DLA065-0094, letter from Lady Cottenham to de László, 28 October 1935

•DLA118-0160, letter from de László’s secretary to Lady Cottenham, 1 November 1935

•DLA065-0092, letter from Lady Cottenham to de László’s secretary, 3 November 1935

•DLA065-0091, letter from Lady Cottenham to de László, 22 November 1935

•DLA065-0089, letter from de László to the Countess of Cottenham, 23 November 1935

•DLA065-0090, letter from Lady Cottenham to de László, 5 December 1935                

CC 2006